1D Guardian Plasma Launcher has less DPS than 1F Pulse Laser?

bicarbon8 · Feb 22, 2019

so I decided to unlock the 1D Guardian Plasma Launchers thinking they'd be like having small Plasma Accelerators for use on a small, nimble fighter like the Eagle. Unfortunately, when I look at the DPS of them, it looks like I'd be better off with an unmodified Pulse Laser. This seems wrong to me considering the fact that the Plasma Launcher has limited ammo. Am I reading this right?

bicarbon8 · Feb 22, 2019

here's a better example of why I'm confused, the size 2 Guardian Plasma Charger has better DPS than the size 2 Pulse Laser

Jmanis · Feb 22, 2019

Guardian Plasma Charger does Absolute damage, therefore ignores resistances. Also, surely the concept of DPS with a plasma charger is a bit weird, since it's an "As fast as the user can fire" weapon, with a charge-up shot mode?

And as well... they're primarily anti-Thargoid weapons. In these cases, weapons tend to have lower damage against Human ships which is how the stat is represented.

bicarbon8 · Feb 25, 2019

Jmanis said:
Guardian Plasma Charger does Absolute damage, therefore ignores resistances. Also, surely the concept of DPS with a plasma charger is a bit weird, since it's an "As fast as the user can fire" weapon, with a charge-up shot mode?

And as well... they're primarily anti-Thargoid weapons. In these cases, weapons tend to have lower damage against Human ships which is how the stat is represented.

yes, I'm familiar with the difference between absolute vs thermal or kinetic damage, but my point is that the size 1 guardian plasmas have less DPS than the size 1 pulse laser whereas the size 2 guardian plasmas have more DPS than the size 2 pulse laser... seems wrong to me.

Also, the description for guardian weapons is that they are intended for use against both Thargoid and Human targets.

Jmanis · Feb 25, 2019

bicarbon8 said:
yes, I'm familiar with the difference between absolute vs thermal or kinetic damage, but my point is that the size 1 guardian plasmas have less DPS than the size 1 pulse laser whereas the size 2 guardian plasmas have more DPS than the size 2 pulse laser... seems wrong to me.

Also, the description for guardian weapons is that they are intended for use against both Thargoid and Human targets.

OK, so just to reiterate:

Also, surely the concept of DPS with a plasma charger is a bit weird, since it's an "As fast as the user can fire" weapon, with a charge-up shot mode?

I've gone back to test one, and I'm incorrect about the "As fast as the user can fire" part... but the Charge Up shot mode is still a valid point.

The 4.25 SDPS is for uncharged shots.

If you fire charged shots at the fastest rate possible, that's 13.13 SDPS. That seems fair to me. Of course, there *could* be a counter-argument about maintaining time on target, but the same applies to pulse lasers too, so it's a moot point.

1.7 * 17 = 28.9 per shot. 15 Shots = 433.5 damage
1.8s charge + 0.2s cooldown (5 ROF) = (2s per shot * 15 shots) + 3 second reload = 33 seconds to expend

433.5/33 = 13.13 SDPS

Increasing the base damage per shot would probably make the charged shot OP by comparison.

bicarbon8 · Feb 25, 2019

Jmanis said:
Increasing the base damage per shot would probably make the charged shot OP by comparison.

hmmm... it's a good point and possibly FDev has a fixed multiplier for the charged shot vs. uncharged so they were forced to make the uncharged be quite low in the case of the size 1 so as to not be completely overpowered when charged (though I personally think that having these be a bit overpowered in size 1 wouldn't be such a bad thing given how limited their range is).

I still feel the size 1 uncharged should be at least as effective as the size 1 pulse laser considering the limited ammo and fire rate of the guardian plasmas (and because the size 2 guardian plasma is so much more powerful when uncharged than a size 2 pulse laser equivalent).